
Text Me
Ancient Jewish Wisdom Meets Contemporary Technology
Jeffrey Schein(Author)
Brian Amkraut(Co-Author)
Hamilton Books (Publisher)
Published on 24. October 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
172 pages
978-0-7618-7178-1 (ISBN)
Description
Common sense tells us that technology can either be a blessing or curse in our lives. The assertion flows easily but deceptively from us. Beneath the flowing assertion, lay many cross currents and much complexity. These complexities are named and laid out for individual and group exploration throughout the book. They provide mirrors for the reader and groups of readers to discover their own affirmations and arguments with their own digital profiles based on Jewish/humanistic religious values.
The iterative analysis points back to the double-entendre in the book's title, "text me" can be a command to engage in the famously quick communication as in receiving a text on our smart phones and "text me" can also serve as an imperative to explore the wisdom contained in Jewish texts. The synergies, gaps, creative tensions, and paradoxes living within this double use of "text me" permeate the volume. Though rooted in Jewish sources the tools of analysis can be used by Christians, Muslims, and people who describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." Indeed, the book is an invitation to all who live in the digital age which is to say all of us. Commentaries provided by scholars of all three of the western, monotheistic faiths highlight this universal dimension.
The iterative analysis points back to the double-entendre in the book's title, "text me" can be a command to engage in the famously quick communication as in receiving a text on our smart phones and "text me" can also serve as an imperative to explore the wisdom contained in Jewish texts. The synergies, gaps, creative tensions, and paradoxes living within this double use of "text me" permeate the volume. Though rooted in Jewish sources the tools of analysis can be used by Christians, Muslims, and people who describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." Indeed, the book is an invitation to all who live in the digital age which is to say all of us. Commentaries provided by scholars of all three of the western, monotheistic faiths highlight this universal dimension.
Reviews / Votes
Finally, we have a resource that meets the needs of spiritual leaders and educators living in the digital age. In Jeffrey Schein's book, Text Me: Ancient Jewish Wisdom Meets Contemporary Technology they will find theory, experience and practice distilled into usable wisdom. What makes this book so critical is that it fills a void that is only getting larger. And with its real-life stories, it's an engaging and instructive read for which rabbis and religious educators of all faiths will make time. It isn't likely to languish on their "must read" list as my hunch is that they will want to purchase and read it immediately. -- Hayim Herring, Author, Organizational Consultant, and Educational Futurist Jeffrey Schein's book, Text Me: Ancient Jewish Wisdom Meets Contemporary Technology offers religious leaders a resource for critically engaging the changes taking place in a thoughtful and practical way, exploring in depth particular aspects of technology and resources of his own faith traditions. While written primarily for a Jewish audience, the insights and understandings of each of the chapters provide insights Christian religious leader can reflect on, as well as a model of interdisciplinary engagement other faith traditions could reproduce within their own sacred texts and writings. -- Elliot Dorff, Distinguished JPS author, Editor JPS "Jewish Choices, Jewish Values" , Professor American Jewish University Among the many ways in which religion might enrich our lives is the moral guidance it provides. That is why the Jewish Publication Society published the six-volume series, Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices, on body, power, money, sex and intimacy, social justice, and racism. This volume artfully carries that project further, examining the many Jewish sources of wisdom in a variety of educational formats for how to benefit from modern technology without falling prey to its many pitfalls, even to the extent of becoming addicted to it and losing sight of the many other sources of meaning in life. As such, it is essential reading for our age. -- Etan Weiss, Director of Judaics, Amos and Celia Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day SchoolMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lanham, MD
United States
Publishing group
University Press of America
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
4 b/w illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
262 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7618-7178-1 (9780761871781)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
10/2019
1st Edition
Hamilton Books
€35.49
Available for download

E-Book
10/2019
1st Edition
Hamilton Books
€35.49
Available for download
Persons
Jeffrey Schein is senior education consultant for the Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood.
Content
Acknowledgments
Part I: The Big Picture
Chapter 1: Why This Volume?
Chapter 2: First Master Text: Siyag/ The Fence
Chapter 3: Second Master Text: Two (or Four) Notes in Our Pockets
Chapter 4: PARDES/The Orchard as Acronym for Our Time: Complexity, Judaism, and Technology
Chapter 5: Sod/The Spiritual and Philosophical Core
Part II: The Larger Story of Judaism and Technology
Chapter 6: Scratches, Scrolls, Books, and Blogs: The Long History of Judaism's Relationship with Information Technology (Brian Amkraut)
Chapter 7: The Micro and the Macro: Responding to Brian Amkraut's Portrait of Judaism and Technology
Chapter 8: Judaism, Technology, and the Art of Living in Multiple Civilizations
Part III: Jewish Learning and Living
Chapter 9: The Four Chasidic Pockets: Eighth Graders at Heilicher Minneapolis Explore
Judaism and Technology
Chapter 10: Towards a Brain-Friendly and Digitally Wise Model of Learning
Chapter 11: Jewish and Human Identity: Erik Erikson Meets betzelem elohim /human beings as formed in God's image in the Digital Age
Chapter 12: Jewish Conversation and Community in the Digital Age
Chapter 13: Congregations in the Digital Age
Part IV: Coming Full Circle
Chapter 14: Reprise I: A Personal Perspective on Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's Adam I and Adam II in the Digital Age
Chapter 15: Reprise II: Waiting for Elijah: Machlakot/Enduring Controversies that Matter, What We Yet Need to Know about Our Relationships to Technology
Chapter 16: Reprise III: Revisiting the Questions
Chapter 17: A Pittsburgh and New Zealand Postscript
Appendix
References
Index
About the Commentators
About the Author
Part I: The Big Picture
Chapter 1: Why This Volume?
Chapter 2: First Master Text: Siyag/ The Fence
Chapter 3: Second Master Text: Two (or Four) Notes in Our Pockets
Chapter 4: PARDES/The Orchard as Acronym for Our Time: Complexity, Judaism, and Technology
Chapter 5: Sod/The Spiritual and Philosophical Core
Part II: The Larger Story of Judaism and Technology
Chapter 6: Scratches, Scrolls, Books, and Blogs: The Long History of Judaism's Relationship with Information Technology (Brian Amkraut)
Chapter 7: The Micro and the Macro: Responding to Brian Amkraut's Portrait of Judaism and Technology
Chapter 8: Judaism, Technology, and the Art of Living in Multiple Civilizations
Part III: Jewish Learning and Living
Chapter 9: The Four Chasidic Pockets: Eighth Graders at Heilicher Minneapolis Explore
Judaism and Technology
Chapter 10: Towards a Brain-Friendly and Digitally Wise Model of Learning
Chapter 11: Jewish and Human Identity: Erik Erikson Meets betzelem elohim /human beings as formed in God's image in the Digital Age
Chapter 12: Jewish Conversation and Community in the Digital Age
Chapter 13: Congregations in the Digital Age
Part IV: Coming Full Circle
Chapter 14: Reprise I: A Personal Perspective on Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's Adam I and Adam II in the Digital Age
Chapter 15: Reprise II: Waiting for Elijah: Machlakot/Enduring Controversies that Matter, What We Yet Need to Know about Our Relationships to Technology
Chapter 16: Reprise III: Revisiting the Questions
Chapter 17: A Pittsburgh and New Zealand Postscript
Appendix
References
Index
About the Commentators
About the Author